Christmas Neighbors
by Rangerbaldwin
Summary: It's Christmas 2018! During Christmas Eve and Christmas: Sam cooks (well); Cassie decides whether or not to stay next door; the Grey House family enjoys Christmas together


Summary/Time frame: Christmas 2018, after the Tale of Two Hearts. Christmastime in Middleton, again.

I had intended to post this somewhere around 7 months ago, but the characters went on vacation until now.

Christmas Neighbors by Lynda M.

Cassie sat on a stool at the bar in Sam's kitchen, watching the man she loved as he worked over a pot of food at the stove. She was battling her impatience to take over from him, but kept that from him. Besides, she had arrived about five minutes ago. He made her promise to let him cook this meal. In turn, he promised she could add the final touches to what he was making: vegan chili.

Dinner this evening would be only the two of them. It was Christmas eve, and Grace was spending time with Noah at his house. Nick was with his mother in New York and had been since the twentieth of the month when school broke for the holiday. Cassie and Sam missed the young man, but he would soon be home on the twenty-sixth.

"Did you know that Nick gave me an early Christmas gift?" Sam asked, breaking Cassie's reverie.

"No, what did he give you?" she asked, curious.

Sam put down the wooden spoon he was using to stir the pot and went to a drawer, holding up a set of measuring spoons by the ring with his finger and thumb. "He told me that if I was going to add any ingredient – to taste – that I was to use this tiny one here."

Cassie giggled. "The one-eighth?"

Sam returned the gift to the drawer, "I took his advice earlier, when I got this to simmering. Want to try?"

"Sure!"

Sam gave her a small taste from the spoon. "How is it?"

Cassie's eyes widened, "It's very good! Sounds like Nick's advice worked."

"Ahhh, I, uh," Sam hesitated.

"What? What is it?"

"I didn't use them, I just guessed with the spices," Sam gave a laugh, proud of himself. "I did use them initially, but then I washed the measuring spoons and put 'em away."

"Wow, Sam, I'm really impressed!" Cassie rounded the bar and kissed Sam's cheek.

Abandoning the spoon to the chili pot, Sam took her in both arms and gave her a long, passionate kiss. Another followed the first, with another one after that. He considered skipping dinner entirely in favor of the beauty in his arms.

On the other hand, he desperately wanted to succeed in his first solo cooking endeavor. It would be a sin to waste the large pot of chili. Far more than two people would need, but he made himself follow the recipe for fear of failing.

"Chili's on," Sam said, clearing his throat as he left Cassie's embrace to retrieve a pair of bowls from the cupboard.

"From the taste I've had, it's wonderful." Cassie automatically assisted with setting up the dishes next to each other at the kitchen bar/counter.

"Here, I bought this bread the other day to go with it," Sam handed over the bag of sliced bread and retrieved a platter for it from the cupboard.

"You were thinking of everything when you planned this," Cassie stated.

"I'm just getting started," and Sam opened another cabinet, revealing 2 brass colored candlesticks and a box of tapered candles.

"Wow." Cassie took a seat, finding nothing else to do, and watched Sam bustling around the kitchen.

He took a pitcher of water out of the refrigerator and pulled a wand-style lighter with a trigger from a drawer. Once the candles were lit and refreshment poured, Sam at last sat down opposite his love.

"Delicious! I'll be having another helping." Cassie complimented him as she took her first bites of food.

"Why, thank you. I'm glad I could cook for you, for once." Sam was pleased. He thought it tasted pretty good, too. Cassie was the ultimate in food knowledge, however. Every crumb she touched became a feast, be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner. She was not putting him on – if she said it was good, she meant it.

"I appreciate the break in cooking – and you did an admirable job. You should be proud." Cassie said, eagerly eating.

He swallowed a mouthful of food. "Proud that I can cook something without burning it to smithereens? Or thinking it's finished when it's only halfway done? I should have had at least one meal in my repertoire years ago to woo you with."

"Sam, you know that I know that every person has their strengths and their challenges. I don't think I fell for you because of your recipes – or lack of them."

He nodded agreement, "True. True. All this time though, living next door to you, and I've finally done it – made a meal more complex than a peanut butter and jelly sandwich."

She gave a chuckle. "There's nothing wrong with a good, old, reliable P B and J. It's got protein and fruit, and that keeps you going as well as any bowl of chili."

"Or tea that tastes like coffee," he added.

She chuckled again, "Or that. And there was that one time you helped me by stirring the hot chocolate."

GW## GW## Christmas ## GW## GW##

After the pair was finished with dinner, the dishes quickly dealt with, and leftovers stored, they retired to the living room of Sam's house, each enjoying a glass of red wine. The pair delighted in each other, alone in the house, or anywhere for that matter, for the first time in ages. Sitting her glass on the coffee table, Cassie watched the moon out of the open curtains of the window.

"Hey, it's snowing," she commented softly and sat up for a better view as the clock in Sam's study chimed ten p. m.

"Is it?" Sam asked rhetorically, as he knew her snow sense was perfect.

"Yes," she said softly. "I suppose I should head for home. It's been a wonderful evening."

"Every evening with you in my life is wonderful," Sam observed. "And you don't have to head home."

"Hmmm?" Cassie sat sideways on the sofa, her legs crossed under her as she spoke to Sam.

"You can stay here tonight. Or if you'd like, I can walk you home and perhaps stay a while," Sam suggested, his voice unconsciously becoming a husky whisper.

"Two roads lie in the path before us," Cassie said whimsically.

"Neither having been taken before," Sam pointed out, his voice still low and husky. "No reason not to take them."

"There are always reasons and choices." Cassie reminded him.

Sam didn't think. He leaned forward and kissed her. She responded ardently, allowing her body to fall against him, atop him when he pulled her closer, continuing to kiss.

"Sam-"

"Shhhh," he said, still holding her, but not too tightly, feeling her against him and loving her with every kiss.

With a kiss on his lips and then two along his jaw, Cassie sat up. "Grace could come home any time."

"She knows exactly where you are, doesn't she?" he asked, looking into her brown eyes.

Keeping eye contact with him, the reply came,"She does."

"Well, do that reaching out thing you do. Is she all right? Does she need you?"

Wordlessly, Cassie answered his last question by shaking her head in the negative.

"Last question, I promise," Sam said, maintaining eye contact, "Do you want to?"

"Which?"

"That's up to you."

"I think I want to - "

"Stay," they both said at the same time. Sam with a slight question to his voice, and Cassie leaning in for another kiss.

The sun was rising on Christmas morning when Sam's phone vibrated. After a couple of minutes, it buzzed again. Cassie woke fully when a third notification came through on the phone. She had been sleeping on her side; her head on his chest. He was lying on his back, his left arm above his head to accommodate her.

She listened as his heart beat with a calm, steady thup-up, bringing a smile to her face. Her heart had fallen for Sam's a long time ago. Last night, they had made love. An act, she knew, they both waited years for and in the last several months, had grown to strongly desire.

Last night, Cassandra knew she was going to have choices to make. Staying with Sam over night or meeting her daughter whenever Grace arrived home from Noah's. Both options had broadcast feelings of satisfaction, love, and joy. At no point did she feel a need to return to Grey House. She was content and pleased to wake in bed with the man she was going to love for a lifetime.

His heartbeat sped up a tick, and without moving, Cassie said, "Good morning, Sam. And Merry Christmas."

He spoke slowly. "Merry Christmas to you, too, my love."

She sat up, her eyes on the morning sun rays which currently highlighted her clothes where they had been stacked on a chair across the room.

"Nooo, come back," he lightly complained at her movement.

"Don't you need to check your phone?"

"Probably. I'm not scheduled at the hospital, but there might be a need for me to go in."

"You are the best in a pinch," Cassie said, recalling one of the earliest moments that bonded them during their first year as neighbors.

Sam nodded agreement and read the text messages aloud, "It says, Merry Christmas, Dr. Radford. Dr. O'Malley was admitted last night by Dr. Penn, with food poisoning. Also, about ten minutes ago, Dr. Penn went into labor, creating a four hour gap without a senior doctor in charge. Is it possible you can help? It's signed by my co-chief of staff. He's working today so that I'd have it off."

"You should definitely go in," Cassie said, but observed that Sam was already typing a reply.

"I'll have to get going around eleven."

"Breakfast at my place, then?" Cassie invited him.

"Love to," Sam leaned over and kissed her lips.

She began to dress, having borrowed one of Sam's t-shirts to sleep in overnight. The first one out of his drawer was more than big enough for her to wear, and it featured the band Kiss. For himself, Sam had chosen a pair of running shorts. After they climbed into bed and under the sheet and comforter, they had stayed in place until the texts came in on Sam's phone.

Not much later, Sam kissed Cassie's soft lips once more, and showed her out the front door. She insisted on walking the few yards home alone - wanting to slip into the house with no fanfare. In half an hour, he would head over to join his neighbors for breakfast.

The evening before was better than he imagined it could be. Several times during the year, one or the other of them had been tempted to sleep over, but they kept temptation at bay. Last night was the perfect moment to give in to their hearts' desires. Their wedding was approaching in approximately six months, and each intended their hearts and lives for the other. Had the woman he loved decided that last night was not to be spent with him, Sam would have been fine with that. Still, he was glad he asked her to consider staying, and that she had agreed. A meal and time together became a wonderful evening that sealed the bond of their relationship.

GW## GW## Christmas ## GW## GW##

Grey House was dark and cool when Cassie let herself in and took off her coat. No guests were expected for two days – a rare Christmas where no rooms were occupied other than those of the family who lived there. At the moment, she sensed Abigail, Grace, and George were home and asleep. She wandered for a moment to the parlor, where the Christmas tree had been set up, and the lights twinkled. There were a few more gifts she wanted to add under the tree, and she would do that after she went upstairs to change.

She looked in on her daughter briefly. Grace, having just turned 18, still slept with a few stuffed animals on her bed. The teen had curled an arm around a blue bear; one of the last stuffed animals her father had given her. Grace's long, dark hair was cleared away from her face, her eyes closed, mouth slightly open in peaceful, winter sleep.

Cassie's bedroom door was opened the slightest crack; the way she had left it the evening before. She slipped into her room, and into the bathroom to freshen up and apply a little make up. That done, she put on a dark green sweater, black jeans with a red belt, Christmas socks, and a pair of stylish black boots which were from Abigail – her cousin had insisted that Cassie open the gift early so that she could wear them today. She removed a brown paper bag with handles from her closet – the last of the gifts.

Going downstairs, Cassie placed a lightweight box under the tree for her daughter, along with gifts for Sam, Nick (who would return the next day), Abigail and George. She also slipped candy bars and boxes of chocolate covered caramels into the stockings that were hanging nearby. One of the ornaments had fallen from a low branch to the floor, and she picked it up and rehung it.

Next, Cassie was off to the kitchen to start a tea kettle and make breakfast. Chocolate chip pancakes for Sam, and blueberry for Grace. Cassie planned on one or two of each for herself. Likewise, Abigail and George were known to enjoy both types of flapjacks. Cassie was not far into her tasks when she sensed and heard Grace descending the stairs.

"Good morning," Cassie greeted her daughter cheerily.

"Merry Christmas, Mom," Grace said, her voice a little sleep tinged.

"Merry Christmas to you. I'm making tea, it should be ready soon."

"I was thinking. . . hot chocolate?" Grace negotiated with pleading eyes.

"Sure, we have some. I'll get it started," Cassie said, going to the refrigerator for milk.

"I'll help," Grace said, rising from the stool she had been perched on.

"What time did you get home from Noah's house?" Cassie inquired, "And I hope you had fun."

"We did have fun, We watched the movie, 'The Santa Clause,' and ate sugar cookies, which Noah and I made together earlier in the evening. His dad was out most of the night, but he came in about half an hour before the movie ended. I guess I got home right around eleven thirty, but I figured you knew that." Grace filled her mother in as she worked with the hot chocolate.

"Not exactly. Not until. . ." Cassie let the sentence fade, sure that Grace knew what she meant.

"Until you came back from Sam's this morning?"

"Yes." Cassie stated simply.

"I see." Grace said, keeping her eyes on the dark brown liquid she was stirring.

"I didn't plan to stay over, but for Sam and I, we thought the time was right." Cassie explained. She knew that as a mother, she did not have to explain herself to her daughter. By the same token, she did not want staying next door to come as a surprise when Sam came over. If he even mentioned their Christmas Eve.

Grace remained silent, still.

"You seem upset about this," Cassie said.

"You know, that was your nineteenth wedding anniversary with Dad." Grace said. "But you were with Sam."

Cassie felt a moment of panic run through her. Still, her husband had passed away more than eight years ago. Eight years of living alone.

"You forgot," Grace said, pouring the chocolate into a mug.

"I did for a moment, yes," Cassie admitted. "Not because I'm replacing your father, though. Jake Russell was a very important man in our lives, and as you yourself have said, he wouldn't want either of us to mourn him forever. He would want us to move on."

Grace sipped her chocolate and nodded. "I have said that to you before. A couple of times."

"And you said that Sam is a good man," Cassie reminded her daughter.

"I have, that's true," Grace paused, thinking, and then said, "I guess this is a new beginning for you, and something I'll have to get used to. Where you have Sam to lose yourself in, I'm still missing my dad."

"Oh, honey," Cassie lamented, "Hug?"

"Yeah," Grace put the mug down and the two embraced.

"So good to see you two bonding early this morning." Abigail said as she breezed into kitchen in her usual style.

"Merry Christmas, Abigail," Grace and Cassie said in unison.

"To you, too, my favorite Merriwick cousins." Abigail helped herself to the tea in the pot that had finished steeping.

"We're your *only* Merriwick cousins," Grace pointed out with a giggle.

"Looks like pancakes?" Abigail asked, staring at the bowls of batter Cassie had stopped tending.

"Yes, just give me a couple of minutes and breakfast will be ready."

The back door opened and George walked in, removing his winter coat and knit hat. He brought in with him a burst of cold air, even though he quickly closed the door. He hung his coat and hat on the nearby pegs before taking a seat on a stool.

"Grandpa! Merry Christmas!" Grace greeted him with a kiss on the cheek. "Hot chocolate?"

"Sure, I could use a cup to warm up my bones," he agreed.

Grace stood to get her grandfather a mug for the hot chocolate. Although Cassie had heard the man up and moving while she was in her bedroom, she had no idea he was gone until right before he opened the door to the kitchen. She must have been focusing on her morning routine, and remembering the last minute gifts.

"Where were you?" Abigail inquired.

"I went to the cemetery to see Gwen's stone. I had a wreath to lay on her grave. There's only a dusting of snow from last night. Made sure to neaten up the nearby graves, too. I've met the families here and there, over the years." George explained. "I try to go once every month or so. Hard to believe it's ten Christmases without her."

"It is," Cassie agreed, flipping the third pancake of each flavor, the pair separated by two frying pans.

Remembering the past, Cassie recalled that Gwen O'Hanrahan had died two short years before Jake was killed in the line of duty. It was an early autumn Saturday, and George had kissed her on the cheek when he got out of bed, as was his routine. She had kissed his cheek in return, saying she would join him downstairs soon, she wanted to rest for a few more moments. After fifteen minutes, George returned to check on his wife, only to find she had suddenly passed on. Her cause of death was ruled natural – from a rare tear of the blood vessel, known as aortic dissection. She had only been eighty-four years of age.

At age nine, Grace was shocked and saddened when the only grandmother she knew passed on so suddenly. Young Grace did not understand the ambulance at the door, or the fact that Grandma was not coming home from the hospital. Because that's where ambulances go, to the hospital, and everyone heals in the hospital and goes home. Jake and Cassie together faced the challenge of explaining Gwen's death.

As well, they both supported George through it the best that they could. The older man was now a widower twice over, and had had to bury his only child. Cassie never met a more resilient man. George and Grace became very close when Jake died two years later. Cassie was certain that George's love and support were an asset to Grace during the worst time in her life.

In the intervening decade, their lives had changed, evolved, and now, Cassie was in love with a man who treated her well, always told her he loved her and how beautiful she was. And that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Grace was in her first serious dating relationship with Noah, and applying to universities around the country. George seemed more content in the last four years than ever she had seen him.

"Okay, everyone, breakfast is on." Cassie set two platters of pancakes on the table in the dining room. "Hi, Sam."

Her fiance' strode through the back door and placed his coat on the peg next to George's coat. "Merry Christmas, everyone."

A chorus of the same was spoken by those gathered, now filling their plates with pancakes and filling mugs with tea or hot chocolate. Sam kissed Cassie on the cheek in between making his breakfast plate and opting for hot chocolate over tea.

"I'm stopping by to eat and go in to the hospital," Sam told everyone.

"But, I thought you were off today," Grace said.

"I was, until one doctor contracted food poisoning and a second went into labor," Sam said with a grin, "But it's only for a few hours, and then I'll be back home."

GW## GW## Christmas ## GW## GW##

Sitting in the parlor late on Christmas night, snuggled on the couch, Sam sat with his left arm around Cassie's shoulders. Together they admired the low flames of the fireplace. Sam ended up working a seven hour shift between covering for the scheduled doctors and the ER. The bright spot was that in the last hour of his shift, he had been able to stop in Dr. Penn's room on the maternity ward to meet her daughter for a few quiet minutes.

Cassie had welcomed him home with a big embrace and a kiss. It was hard to imagine he had worked seven hours, although he was able to actually sit and work on charts for half an hour over a meal break.

Cassie mused aloud, "This has really been a lovely Christmas. I mean, I know you had to work, but . . ."

"I always enjoy the fast pace of the ER, even on Christmas. And did I tell you about the cutest newborn I've seen since Nick was born?" Sam finished her sentence and added one of his own.

"Dr. Penn's baby? I remember you told me this morning the doctor had gone into labor. Awww, so sweet, a little Christmas angel."

"Yeah, her labor went quickly, but this is her second baby. The baby's name is Mila."

"Thank you again, for the Back Dragon tea. I had a cup with Grace this afternoon, and it was so sweet, smooth, and earthy, too."

"Just like my beautiful fiancee," Sam mentioned.

"Grace said it tastes chocolatey, too," Cassie added to the description. "How did you know it would be so perfect?

"Internet searches are amazing. I put in China and delicious tea, and the computer did the rest of the work. I'll be sure to keep you two supplied. It's from the Yunnan province, you know."

"I do know. I'm pretty good at reading packages," Cassie said with a laugh.

"I will also treasure the deluxe socket wrench set you gave me," Sam paused, studying the scar on the knuckle of his left ring finger. "I should have used the right tool for the job when I worked on your car a few years back. Then I wouldn't have had that nasty gash."

"Yeah, the set spoke to me when I saw it." Cassie gave him a peck on the lips. "Grace is excited about our trip to Chicago in the Spring. The two of us alone, exploring the city."

"Will you see Olympia together?"

"That's a stop I wanted to make, yes."

Sam's phone alerted him to a text message, so he pulled out the device and opened the message. It was from Nick: Dad, I'll be on the 6 a.m. train tomorrow morning instead of 6 p.m. Everything is fine, I'm really missing home. Anyway, can you be there to pick me up?

Smiling, Sam replied: With Christmas bells on.

From Nick: a dismayed face emoticon.

Sam laughed.

"What was that about?" asked Cassie, who had given Sam his privacy to address the messages.

"Dad jokes. Good news – Nick's coming home bright and early tomorrow morning. So I told him I'd be there to pick him up with Christmas bells on."

She grinned. "Dad jokes are how he knows you love him."

"Well, it's late, and I better show up at the train station early. He's getting in at six." Sam stood, and Cassie did, too.

"Is it that late, already?" She looked at the grandfather clock, so he did, also.

"A hair after eleven," Sam nodded and leaned in to give her a kiss on the lips. "I love you, Cassie. Every night of the year."

"I love you, too, Sam." She turned her head up toward him for another kiss.

"I'll bring Nick over for breakfast tomorrow – I think he has some gifts to give out, and I know he'll want to talk about his New York trip."

They walked together to the front door where Sam put on his jacket, and then kissed Cassie for a few, lingering moments. He blew kisses to her, walking backward, until the front door of Middleton's Grey House Bed and Breakfast was no longer in view. What a Merry Christmas it was.


End file.
